abujiggy 
Google Translate’s conversation mode is decent, but it still feels like two people taking turns talking to a phone. SayHi tries something different: it’s designed to feel like a real conversation with automatic language detection, and the user experience is noticeably smoother. For back-and-forth conversations — not just one-off translations — it’s the best voice translator I’ve used.
What is SayHi?
SayHi is a voice-to-voice translation app owned by Amazon (it was acquired in 2018). It’s available free for iOS and Android, and supports about 100 languages with 40+ dialects. Unlike Google Translate, SayHi is designed specifically for voice conversations, not just text. Its main feature is automatic language detection — tap the mic, speak, and it figures out which language you’re speaking without you having to toggle.
Behind the scenes it uses Amazon’s translation and speech tech, plus neural network models for speech recognition and synthesis. The quality is on par with Google Translate’s voice mode, and in some languages noticeably better.
Why voice translation matters differently from text
Text translation is easy — you have time to type, to correct, to verify. Voice translation happens live, in front of the person you’re talking to, and any friction kills the conversation.
Things that kill a voice-translated conversation:
- Having to manually switch the “language direction” every time the other person speaks
- The app missing the start of a sentence because it wasn’t listening yet
- Slow playback of the translation
- Robotic voice synthesis that the other person can’t understand
- Having to hold down a button to talk
SayHi has solved most of these. Auto-detection means you don’t flip directions. The UI is designed for conversation, not one-shot queries. And the voice synthesis is genuinely more natural than Google’s in most languages.
Real use cases where SayHi outperformed
Long conversation with a Lisbon taxi driver. Tourist-driver back-and-forth for a 20-minute ride. We talked about his family, his views on tourism, his recommendations for dinner. Google Translate would have broken the flow. SayHi kept up because auto-detection meant we didn’t need to flip the app between us.
Bangkok massage consultation. I needed to specify which areas to focus on and which to avoid because of an injury. Normally I’d just gesture. With SayHi I had an actual three-minute conversation with the therapist about my shoulder. Noticeably better outcome.
Buying a handmade rug in Morocco. I wanted to haggle, ask about the weaver, ask about the materials. The vendor was patient and we used SayHi for 15 minutes. By the end I’d learned it was her mother who’d made it. I paid more than I would have otherwise because the conversation had turned personal.
Korean BBQ rules. The grandmother running the restaurant wanted to explain (in rapid Korean) how I should cook each type of meat. Conversation mode, listening to her, getting live English translations, asking clarifying questions. She laughed at the weird phrasing. The food was excellent.
SayHi vs Google Translate conversation mode
The two are similar in capability but different in feel.
SayHi wins on:
- Automatic language detection (no toggling)
- Voice synthesis quality in most languages
- Cleaner, calmer UI designed for conversation
- Ability to save entire conversations to review later
Google Translate wins on:
- More languages overall
- Camera mode, handwriting, text mode (SayHi is voice-only)
- Offline mode (SayHi has limited offline support)
- Integration with other Google services
I use SayHi for actual conversations and Google Translate for everything else. That’s the honest workflow.
Where SayHi falls short
Voice-only limits use cases. You can’t paste a menu into SayHi. You can’t scan a sign. It’s a conversation tool, not a general translator. Keep Google Translate installed alongside.
Background noise is brutal. Crowded markets, loud restaurants, and street noise will destroy the speech recognition. Step aside to quieter spots for serious conversations.
Offline coverage is thin. SayHi works best online. Download your languages before you fly, but expect worse quality offline than Google.
Limited to 100 languages. Fewer than Google Translate (130+). For uncommon languages SayHi will say “not supported.”
The UI is dated. SayHi hasn’t been updated as aggressively as Google’s translation products. The design is clean but feels like an app from 2019. Function over form.
Sometimes mis-detects language. The auto-detection is usually right but occasionally picks the wrong language, especially with similar-sounding languages or strong accents. You can manually switch when this happens.
Pro tips
Use it in quiet places first. Get comfortable with SayHi in your hotel room or a quiet café before trying it in a busy market. Once you know the flow it handles noisier environments better.
Hold the phone between you. For best audio pickup, hold the phone roughly equidistant between you and the other person, microphone facing whoever is speaking.
Speak naturally but clearly. Don’t over-enunciate (it messes up detection) but don’t mumble. Normal speaking pace works fine.
Save conversations you care about. SayHi lets you save entire chat histories. Useful if you want to remember what someone said or show the translation to someone else later.
Let the other person talk. Auto-detect means they can just speak without you doing anything. Gesture to the phone and wait. This is the main advantage over Google’s flow.
Verdict
SayHi is a specialist tool that does one thing (voice conversations) significantly better than any general-purpose translator. If you travel to places where you’ll have real conversations with locals — not just ordering food, but actual back-and-forth dialogue — it’s worth installing alongside Google Translate.
It won’t replace Google Translate as your default. But it will make a handful of travel moments per trip noticeably better.
SayHi is one of 26 AI travel tools on my AI Travel Tools directory. Also see my reviews of Google Translate and DeepL.
Leave a Reply